Folding garment rack



Jan. 3, 1925. 1,522,873

A. c. DOERING FOLDING GARMENT RACK Filed Feb. 20, 1924 Patented den. 13,1925.

AUGUST C. DO ERING, OF BOSTON, MASSAGI-TUSETTS, ASSIG-NOR TO DORAKMAKERS, INCL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

FOLDING GARMENT RACK.

Application filed February 20, 1924. Serial No. 694,129.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, AUGUST 0. DOERING, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boston, in the county of Suifolk and State of Massachusetts,have invented new and useful Improvements in Folding Garment Racks, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a rack adapted to be secured to a vertical wallor other support, and to hold a group of garments, either projectingoutward from the wall, and spaced apart so that each garment isconveniently accessible, the garments occupying a maximum space; orbunched together against the wall to occupy a minimum space, whenaccessibility to any garment without disturbance of others is not adesideratum.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, strong and durablerack structure, composed chiefly of sheet metal, and adapted to beattached as a unit to a support, to securely hold a group of garments ineither of the positions above indicated, and to permit the convenienttransference of the group from either position to the other.

Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing a rack embodying the inventionattached to a door and adjusted to hold the garments of a group spacedapart,

Figure 2 is an edge view, showing the rack adjusted to'hold the garmentsbunched together.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section, showing the rack adjusted as shownby Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an edge view, showing portions in section, the rack beingadjusted as shown by Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary front view, showing the upper portion of thefixed holder.

Figure 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Fig ure 3.

Figure 7 is a section on line 7-7 of Fig ure 4.

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7,

showing a modification.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the reinforcing member hereinafterdescribed.

My improved rack includes an elongated holder adapted to be secured, asby screws 12, to a vertical support such as a wall or door 13, andprovided with a recess which is open at the front side. The holder ismade of sheet metal, and includes a back portion 14, adapted to receivethe screws 12, and longitudinal stiffening flanges 15, projectingoutward from the back portion, and forming opposite sides of a recess.The holder also includes a transverse upper flange 26 forming the upperend of the recess and provided with an extension 27 which overhangs theupper end of the recess and forms a seat for the movable fastenerhereinafter described, and a transverse lower flange 33 forming thelower end of the recess. The back 14, the flanges 15 and 26, and theextension 27, are made from a single sheet metal blank. The bottomflange 33 is a part of another blank and is provided with angular ears31 (Figure 9) bearing on the lower ends of the back 14 and side flanges15, so that the lower end portion of the holder is reinforced andoutward bending of said lower ends is prevented. The ears 31 may beelectrically welded or riveted to the lower end portion of the holder.To the lower end of the holder is hinged an elongated sheet metal arm,adapted to be raised against the holder, and extended horizontal- 1ytherefrom, the arm being provided with a channel which is open at itsends.

The arm is also composed of sheet metal and includes a body portion 16and longitudinal side flanges 17, projecting from the inner side of thebod portion, said body portion and flanges orming a channeled arm.

A flexible tether 18, which may be a chain, is secured to the upper endof the holder, as by a bolt 19, engaged with an end ring or link of thechain, and to the mid-length portion of the arm, as by a hook 20,engaged with the other end link, the hook being in this instance engagedwith the shank of a garmentsupporting member or hook 22, which is fixedto the body portion 16 of the arm, as shown by Figure 3.

The member 22is one of a row of members fixed to the arm, and adapted tosupport a group of garments 23, indicated by dotted lines in Figure 1.If the garments are coats, or the like, they may be directly supportedby ordinary coat hangers, hung upon. the members 22. Said members arerigidly attached to the arm and project from the outer side thereof.

The arrangement is. such that. When the arm is. lowered, it is supportedhorizontally by the holder and the tether, so that the gar- Inentsdepend freely at the same height, and are spaced apart, with eithergarment conveniently accessible, the arm having a maximum projectionfrom the support 13. Then (iii the arm is raised, the garments depend atdifferent heights and are bunched together, as indicated by Figure 2, sothat the group occup es a .minimum-. space, each garment below. thehighestv being. overlapped by the garment. above it.- p

The arm may .be-releasably securedto the holdenin the raised positiondescribed, by any'suitable means, preferably a button 25, bearing,.on.theextension. or seat 27 at the upper .enchofthe holder, and.pivoted toturn ontheibolt 19, the button overlapping the higher. .endofthe arm when-the latter is.

raised;

Theerecesspot thearm opens into the recess of;v the holderWhen the armis raised, so that chamber. is formed in which the tethergis .stored,..;the tether, being looped. vorfoldedwhenthearm is raised;

The,flanges 1.7 of -the arni are interengaged, as shownby Figure 7, withthe flanges 1.5, otatheholderuwhen the arm is raised,'so

that the. arm, is supported against; edgewisej displacement,,-or againststrains tending to tip 1 it, edgewise. I

The; side and end flanges of the holder boundinggthe recess-therein and,the chan-. -nelled'jformgot the arm impart stiffness to theseparts, sothat althoughthey are made of:.sheetsimetah they are notudeficienthinstrength-and stiffness. The lower ends of tl1e1l1older;flanges,.15overlap the inner ends .of the arm flanges l'f' and are;ut1l1zed asmembersot a hinge which is completed by a pintle gt), nserted inorifices in said ends.

-A simple hinge-is thus provided, involving theemployment of. only, onemember, the

pintle, inaddition to theholder and arm.

The ends of the pintle are covered by the ears 31. as shown by Figure6.-

The reinforcing member formed by the lower. flange 33 and .ears 3 1. isadapted to supplementz the. hinge ;pi ntle,,30 and thetether.18,insupportingthe arm horizontally.

As shown by Figure 3,:the shanks of the hooks extend throughthe bodyportion 16 of the arm, into the arm recess, and. are

secured withinathe recess by suitable tasten-' spaced/from the backportion ll: of the.

holderto provide a storage ChZLIIlbGI QfOIT the tether,1.the partitionbeingjprovidcd: with a slot 3?, through which the tether passes.

It will now be seen that the rack is adapted to'be-secured asasinglepa-rtor unit to a vertical -support,-by the' opera-tion ofscrewing the holder to the support, and that the arm and any loadthereon, are lirinly supported in. both the. raised and the extendedpositions of the arm.

yigure I claim-,2.

The partition 35.niay, be omitted as shown LA foldingclothes rackcomprising an elongated sheet metal. holdenincluding "a.

back adapted for. attachment to a support,

and glongitudinal, side flanges forming op-..

posite sides of an elongated recess; a chair-.5,

, neled sheet metal arm including a body having garment-supporting hooksandlongi; tudinal flanges form ng oppositesldes of a lonitudinal,ohanneh a,hin ie, intle 0011-.

necting, the lower. ends ofthe holder flanges With .the. inner ends ofthearm flanges, the l.

arm and its flanges being.adapted to enter the.reeess ofgth holderwmthe; rackais lde a d. asa sulan e to e esime h flxedatothelowerend ofthe,..backffa1 1d i eluding a transverse flange forming et 7 lower, endof-. the holder. recess, and gets bearingon the outer.sides..of the.holdeip,

flangesandi on the endsof said .,pintle, to prevent; outward binding ofthe holder flanges and endwise. displacement, of the..

pintle.

2. A folding clothes rack comprising an, elongated sheet, metal.holderadapted to be.

securedto a support and. providedlwitli side and end flanges. bounding,arecess .in the; holder, a sheet metal, arm i11, cluding a;body

portion, having longitudinal .side, flanges,- formingpopposite sides ofa longitudinal;-

channel and adapted to enter-therecess-of the ,holdeiygand a partition.havingfllongi tudinalg side flanges ,bearing on the. side." flanges ofthe body portion, so that thepartition prevents inward. bending of r thesaid body-flanges, the lowersends tr the -side flanges. of the holderoverlapping the inner ends of theside,iflangesof-the arrn a hinge pintleconnecting the overlapping endsof said, flanges; a flexible tethersecuredto. the

holder and the arm}andpassing through. a'

slot in the arm partition; garment-support ing. hooks .having shanksextending through the body portion with fasteningmeans concealed bysaidpartition; I the upper portion of the holderand adapted to engage theouter end -of'th arm, ,when,

partition being the; rack is folded, the ,said

located. within thechannel of the. arm, 69

and a movable fastener pivoted to .9 of the arm and providedg that asp aceis toitfmedtor thestorage, oithe tether when 7 the rack. is folded,

.3. 'A folding .c l othes. rack i comprising an elongated sheet metalholder including a back adapted for attachment to a support,longitudinal side flanges forming opposite sides of an elongated recess,a transverse upper flange forming the upper end of said recess andhaving an extension overhanging the recess and forming a fastener seat,and a transverse lower flange forming the lower end of said recess andhaving ears bearing on the lower ends of said side flanges, so thatoutward bending of said lower ends is prevented; a sheet metal armincluding a body portion having longitudinal side flanges formingopposite sides of a longitudinal channel and adapted to enter the recessof the holder and a partition having longitudinal side flanges bearingon the side flanges of the arm, so that inward bending of said flangesis prevented, the lower ends of the side flanges of the holderoverlapping the inner ends of the side flanges of the arm; a hingepintle connecting the overlapping ends of said flanges and confinedbetween the ears of the said lower flange; a flexible tether secured tothe holder and the arm and passing through a slot in the arm partition;garment-supporting hooks having shanks extending through the bodyportion of the arm and provided with fastening means concealed by saidpartition; and a movable fastener pivoted to the upper end of the holderand movable on said seat to engage the outer end of the arm when therack is folded, the said partition being located within the channel ofthe arm, sothat a space is formed for the storage of the tether when therack is folded.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature. 7

AUGUST G. DOERING.

